MEMBERS of West Dunbartonshire Council's planning committee are set to boot out proposals to build a new nursing home in Alexandria.

Asset Crest Investments have submitted plans to build the nursing home at Lesser Boll of Meal Park, in Halkett Crescent, and were looking to alter the former statutory time condition in which to build it.

But members of the planning committee are being asked to refuse the proposal on the grounds that it would result in the loss of an "open space within the urban area" which is of "amenity and Natural Heritage value."

The site has a long planning history and was allocated for recreational open space in the former Dumbarton Local Plan number one, adopted in 1984.

In 1995 the then owners of the site requested that the site be allocated for housing.

Outline planning permission for a nursing home was refused by the Council in 1997 due to concerns about access, noise, visual amenity, wildlife and the loss of open space.

However, permission was granted by the Secretary of State on appeal on the basis that the proposal was consistent with the draft local plan and the Council had not pursued its former proposal to acquire the site for public open space.

The outline permission was subsequently renewed in 2000 and 2003.

And a detailed application for a nursing home was granted in 2004 and renewed in 2008.

The report goes on: "Prior to the expiry of permission in November 2013, the applicant submitted the current application which effectively seeks to renew the permission for a further period, by means of varying the standard time condition which was attached to permissions prior to 2009.

"The applicant is not seeking to alter any of the other conditions attached to the original planning permission in principle consent.

"Upon receipt of the application in 2013 the applicant was advised that the technical supporting information submitted in 2002 and 2004 was no longer up to date and that new technical information would be required.

"The applicant requested that the application be held in abeyance pending the outcome of the Local Development Plan inquiry, following which they would make a decision as to how to proceed.

"The LDP situation is now clear, and the applicant has not submitted the relevant supporting information after several requests to do so."

Now the committee is being asked to turn down the application.

The report concludes: "Due to the length of time since planning permission was originally granted, it is appropriate to consider whether the principle of development remains acceptable.

"The site contributes to the amenity of the area as an area of wild natural greenspace in the urban area."

Members will discuss the application at their meeting tomorrow morning in Clydebank Town Hall.